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Oklahoma town urges evacuation due to rising river

4 years 10 months 1 week ago Wednesday, May 22 2019 May 22, 2019 May 22, 2019 6:41 AM May 22, 2019 in News - AP National

WEBBERS FALLS, Okla. (AP) - A small town in Oklahoma is urging residents to evacuate as the Arkansas River heads toward near-historic levels.

Forecasters say major flooding is expected in Webbers Falls, a town of about 600 people about 140 miles (225 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City.

According to the National Weather Service, the Arkansas River was at 34.5 feet (10.5 meters), or 6.5 feet (2 meters) above flood stage, as of Wednesday morning. The river was expected to rise to 40 feet (12 meters) by Thursday morning. The National Weather Service says the flooding poses an "extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation."

Forecasters say parts of Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas could see severe weather Wednesday, the latest in a multi-day stretch of storms that have spawned dozens of tornadoes and caused two deaths in Missouri.

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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